Car end construction



Patented Feb. 28; 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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UNITED STATES PATE OFFICE.

'CAR END CONSTR UBIION.

Specification of Letters Patent. fatented F b. 28 1922 Application filed December"4, I920. Serial no. 428,183.

To alZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK M. WfiYTE;

a citizen of the United States, residing at havin different arrangements of corrugations or stifl'ening, have heretofore been proposed and used for car nds, but my improve; ment relates more particularly to that type of plate provided with outwardly pressed panel portions having an outer surface parallel with the main sheet but spaced thereconnected therewith by the side portions 0 the panels. the width of the panels being preferably about equal to the space between panels.

A structural metal plate of tlns type has been heretofore proposed in my prior application Serial No. 329,226, filed, October 8, 1919, and in which ribs are formed in the sheet at the ends of,;the panels for taking up the excess metal at thecorner. The object of my present invention is to provide an improved metalp-lat of this type, In which the panels may be more readily and easily formed by cold pressing or bend ng of the plate without the necessity of heating the same, and. without materially drawing or stretching the metal, and also wherein the side flanges may be flat and easily formed by bending the edges of the sheet at r1ght angles to the plane of thesheet and without the formation of ribs in the sheet. One of the features of my im rovement comprises the tapering of the on s ofthe panels substantially to an apex at the sides or ends of the plate for closing the ends of the panels. Another feature comprises the formationpf cut-out portions or notches in the margins of the sheet opposite the ends of the panels for compensating for the metal taken up in the outward spacing or sides of the panels and alsoto facilitate the bending of the side flanges. Still another feature comprises caps for covering the notches or slots in the margins of the sheet or flanges and at the ends of th panels'for weather-proofing the plate when desired.

In the accompanyin drawings: Figure 1 is an end elevation 0% my improvement applied thereto; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the end of the car showing the flange of the plate; Fig. 3, a plan of a rectangular metal sheet or blank from which my improved plate is to be formed, said sheet having the notches out in the side edges; Fig. 4,:1 plan, showing the sheet after the panels have been formed but before bending the side flanges; Fig. 5, a transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6, a

side view of the sheet as shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 7, a correspondingside view after-the side flanges hav been bent at right an les to the sheet; and Fig. 8, a correspon mg side view with the caps applied at the ends of the panels.

According to my improvement, the plate is designed to be formed from a plane reca box car showing tangular metal sheet, 9, of the desired size and tl'iickness, and the first operation son sists in cutting notehes,'10 in the, side edges of the sheet, as shown iuFi 3. Tl e depth of the notches is made equa to the width of the flange which is desiredat the side edges of the plate, while the width of the notches '1 will be determined by 1 the depth of the panels. that is, by the amount of metal taken up in forming the side edges of the panels and by which the outer face or parallel plane portion is spaced outwardly from the body, portion of the sheet. formed in pairs at opposite ends of the sheet, and in line with the proposed panels.

The panels, 1] are then formedv pressing or bending the metal sheet upon a suitable die or mandrel, the opposite ends of said panels being tapered at 12, to an apex at The notches are A the inner end of the notches, as indicated in Figs. 4. 5 and 6. In this operation. a certain amount ofthe metal is taken up in forming the side portions, 13, of the panels, and the side edges of the notches are brought very nearly together. leaving onl a narrow slot or opening from the apex of the tapered end of the panel to the margin of the sheet. This permits the operation tobe easily per;

.formed without material drawing or stretching of the metal, and without the necessity of forming ribs at the margin of the sheet.

The notched side ed as of the sheet may then be readily bent own at right angles to the main bod of the sheet to form the flanges, 14,'as s own in Fig.7, for securin t plate to the corner posts.

re a weather-proof construction is desired,a cap, 15, is employed to cover the openm at the notch and the apex of the taperef end of the panel, as shown in Fig. 8, and these caps ma be tightly secured to the face of the pane and to the flange by riveting, welding, or otherwise. The caps may also be so 0 feners for reinforcing the flanges.

By means of this construction, the plate 15 so formed that the maximum portion of its area lies in two arallel plages'at a maximum distance from t e neutral axis, thereby producin a strong and ri id structure.

In t e operation of orming the plate, the design is such that each anel may be formed inde endently of the ot ers, by pressing or ben ing the sheet, whereby a minimum amount of force or power is required, particularly as the fl'a'nglilis at the side edges ma be bent down after t e panels are complete In order that there shall be sufficient clearance in the cut-out portions or .iotches to permit the formation of fiat flanges at the side edges of the sheet, the width of the notches must be at least ual to the dilierence between the full widiliof the sheet, as indicated in Fi 3, and the horizontal width after the pane s have been formed, as indicated in Fig. 4, and this total difference must be divided equally among the notches 40 at the ends of the panels. In practice, it may be desirable to make the notches of a slightly ater width than indicated by the above di erence in theoretical measurements ,to provide for any inaccuracies that 'may occur in formation.

As shown in the drawings, each plate is formed with two panels, and the car end as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is built up of two. plates riveted together at their edges, the 60 side flanges being suitably bolted to the corner posts of the box car. The to ad of the upper plate is, in this case, inc inc at each side of the center to conform to the itch of the car roof. In this construction, t e caps, 15, are also employed for weather-proofing he plates at the notches at the ends of the panels and strengthening the side flanges. Vhen used in the construction of o en-top cars without roofs, such as gondo 9. cars, a single plate may be employed, and the caps at the notches may be omitted as weather-proofing is not necessary, unless it be desired to retain them for strengthening purposes. Flanges may also be provided at the 86 top and bottom of the plate, if desired.

rmed as to serve as st1f- Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A structural metal plate formed from a plane sheet and having panel portions spaced outward in a plane parallel with the main sheet and integrall connected thereto by the side portions of tie anels, the ends of the panels being tapered in width, and of uniform depth.

2. A structural metal plate formed from a plane sheet and having panel portions spaced outward in a plane parallel with the main sheet and integrally connected thereto b this side portions of the panels, and note as or slots formed in the side edges of the sheet opposite the ends of said panels.

3. A structural metal plate formed from a plane sheet and having panel portions spaced outward in a plane parallel with the main sheet and integrally connected thereto by the side portions of the panels, said panels being tapered to an apex at their ends, and a cap for closing the opening at the apex of each anel.

4. structural metal plate formed from a -plane sheet and having panel portions spaced outward in a plane parallel with the main sheet and integrally connected thereto by the side portions of the panels, and notches formed in the side edges of the sheet op osite the ends of said panels, said side edges eing bent at an angle to the main sheet to form flanges.

,5. A structural metal plate formed from a plane sheet and having panel portions spaced outward in a plane parallel with the main sheetand intcgrall connected thereto b the side portions of t 1e panels, the main s eet having notches or slots extending from the ends of the panels to the margin of the sheet, and caps for covering said slots.

6. A structural metal plate formed from a plane sheet and having panel portions spaced outward in a plane parallel with the main sheet and integrally connected thereto by the side portions of the panels, said panels being tapered to an apex fat their ends, notches or slots extendingfrom the a ices of the panels to the margin of the main s eet, and caps for covering said slots.

7 A structural metal plate formed from a plane sheet and having panel portions spaced outward in a plane parallel with the main sheet and integrally connected thereto by the side portions of the anels, said panels being tapered to an apex at their ends, notches or slots extending from the apices of the panels tothe margin of the main sheet, said notched side edges of the main sheet being bent at right angles to the main sheet to form flanges.

8. A structural metal plate formed from a plane sheet and having panel portions spaced outward in a plane parallel with the 130 main sheet and integrally connected thereto to form flanges, and caps for covering the by the side portions of the panels, seidrpnnels apices of thel ianels and the slots in the twin tapered to 'an apex at their ends, flanges of the s eet. 10 notc es or slots extending from the spices of In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 5 the panels to the margin of the main sheet, my hand.

said notched side edges of the main sheet being bent at right angles to the rnain sheet FREDERICK M. WHYTE. 

